Preview: Blues at Avalanche

[March 21, 2017]  The St. Louis Blues kicked off March with their fifth straight defeat, a 3-0 loss at Winnipeg that opened a month featuring 10 of 15 games away from home. The Blues have regrouped to win seven of eight since that defeat as they prepare to wrap up a five-game road trip with a visit to the league-worst Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.

St. Louis' current hot streak started with a 3-0 victory at Colorado on March 5, beating the Avalanche for the fourth consecutive time and outscoring them 16-3 in that stretch. Holding down the second wild card and trailing third-place Nashville by two points in the Central Division, the Blues will play five of next six games against the three worst teams in the West -- two each versus the Avalanche and Arizona and one against Vancouver. "This has been a tough trip -- time change and travel and back-to-back (games)," captain Alex Pietrangelo said. "It’s good to get through this stretch.” Colorado has won three of four overall at home, but it coming off a 6-3 loss at Chicago in which it surrendered three third-period goals in 34 seconds.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), Altitude (Colorado)

ABOUT THE BLUES (38-28-5): Jake Allen was in such a rut two months ago that the team left him behind for a three-game road trip, but things have turned dramatically for the fourth-year netminder. Allen has not allowed more than three goals in 16 starts since Mike Yeo took over and he registered his third shutout in his last 14 starts at Arizona on Saturday, which also established a career high with his 27th win of the season. "We're just playing well, playing with confidence," Allen said.

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (20-48-3): Mikhail Grigorenko was a healthy scratch for Saturday's 5-1 loss in Detroit and the message was received -- he scored twice against the Blackhawks for his first two-goal game since November 2013 while he was with Buffalo. "Everyone has something to play for,” Grigorenko said. “I really wanted to make an impact and be sure to play good enough not to be scratched ever again.” Trade-deadline acquisition Sven Andrighetto has two goals and five points in eight games.

OVERTIME

1. Blues F Vladimir Tarasenko has six goals in his last seven overall and seven tallies and 15 points in 18 games against Colorado.

2. The Avalanche 2-for-41 on the power play over the past 17 games.

3. The Blues, who are 14-7-0 under Yeo, have killed off all 12 penalties on the road trip.

PREDICTION: Blues 3, Avalanche 1

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